Hygiene of morality

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Way of treatment of moral deviations Quadruple principles of ethics in view of the ancients

It is also noteworthy that current medicine is actually divided into two parts: therapeutic medicine and hygienic medicine. What is meant by therapeutic medicine is clear. But hygienic medicine refers to preventing occurrence of diseases and destroying their causes, and since preventing a disease is much easier than curing it, hygiene has a precious importance in the life of individuals and destiny of the societies. On this account, heavy budgets are spent for it.

These two parts exactly exist in moral cases and mental diseases. So, we shall avoid occurrence of moral deviations as far as possible, and try for hygiene of morality of ourselves and others through adopting necessary counsels.

 

1- Avoiding poisonous and suspicious associations

Surely, a lot of moral deviations are caused by association, and just like contagious and epidemic diseases, particularly in cases that mental condition is ready for acceptance of morality of others, due to little age or little knowledge or weak belief and such like, association with immoral individuals is a fatal and noxious poison.

It is seen in a lot of cases that destiny of a man is completely changed due to association and thereby, direction of his life is changed.

Effects of association in correcting man's personality are so significant that it is said for knowing anybody; we shall look at his companion and friend. Imam Ali A.S. says:

«مَنِ اشْتَبَهَ عَلَیْکُمْ اَمْرُهُ وَ لَمْ تَعْرِفُوا دِینَهُ فَانْظُرُوا اِلى خُلَطائِهِ».

When you are uncertain about someone and do not know his religion, look at his friends.(1)

The Prophet S.A. says:

«اَلْمَرْءُ عَلى دِینِ خَلِیلِهِ وَ قَرِینِهِ».

A man has the same religion of his friend and companion.(2)

Association with evil doers darkens soul, and weakens moral sense, and reduces ugliness of evil deeds and ill-humor, and it is interpreted as heart death in the traditions. The Prophet S.A. says:

«اَرْبَعٌ یُمِتْنَ الْقُلُوبَ... وَ مُجالَسَةُ الْمَوْتى; فَقِیلَ لَهُ: یا رَسُولَ اللهِ! وَ مَا الْمَوْتى؟ قالَ: کُلُّ غَنِیٍّ مُتْرَف».

Four things extinguish heart ..., including association with the dead. They asked: O God's messenger! Who are the dead? He said: Lavish rich men.(3)

Association with evil doers stimulates sense of suspicion in man and makes him pessimistic to everybody.

Imam Ali A.S. says:

«مُجالَسَةُ الاَْشْرارِ تُورِثُ سُوءَ الظَّنِّ بِالاَْخْیارِ».

Association with evil doers causes suspicion on good doers.(4)

In brief, the issue of association is so critical that God even premonishes His messenger from association with evil doers in Quran.

In contrary, association with good doers is one of the most important means of training, purification and developing moral virtues and reviving heart and acquiring personality.

Islam emphasizes greatly on association with good individuals and righteous doers. Holy Quran says:

وَ اصْبِرْ نَفْسَکَ مَعَ الَّذِینَ یَدْعُونَ رَبَّهُمْ بِالْغَدَوةِ وَ الْعَشِیِّ یُرِیدُونَ وَجْهَهُ وَ لا تَعْدُ عَیْناکَ عَنْهُمْ تُرِیدُ زِینَةَ الْحَیوةِ الدُّنْیا وَ لا تُطِعْ مَنْ اَغْفَلْنا قَلْبَهُ عَنْ ذِکْرِنا وَ اتَّبَعَ هَویهُ وَ کانَ اَمْرُهُ فُرُطاً).

And restrain thyself with those call upon their Lord at morning and evening, desiring His countenance, and let not thine eyes turn away from them, desiring the adornment of the present life; and obey not him whose heart We have made neglectful of Our remembrance so that he follows his own lust, and his affair has become all excess.(5)

The Prophet S.A. says:

«اَسْعَدُ النّاسِ مَنْ خالَطَ کِرامَ النّاسِ».

The most prosperous people are those who associate with good and honorable people.(6)

 

2- Correcting environment

Tainted environments, particularly those in which display of sin and vice is popular, increase the risk of involvement to moral vices, and this is an undeniable truth. Thus, one of the actions for hygiene of morality is conflicting vices in the environment and preventing display of sin and vice.

Basically, one of the most important hindrances for involvement in sin and moral vice is the importance and greatness of vice and sin in view of man and hating them. Display of moral vices and sins decreases its importance in view of people and lessens its hatred and prepares soul for accepting it.

And on this account, for renewing importance of sin in public opinion, it is instructed in Islam to punish evil doers publicly and in presence of people:

وَلْیَشْهَدْ عَذابَهُما طائِفَةٌ مِنَ الْمُؤْمِنِینَ).

And let a party of the believers witness their (adulterer and adulteress) chastisement.(7)

Thereby, the significance of sin is renewed for people and the barrier which was violated, is restored.

Islam has put a great emphasis on open sin and vice, and has assumed immodesty and open debauchery as the causes of a person's defamation. Imam Sadegh A.S. says:

«اِذا جاهَرَ الْفاسِقُ بِفِسْقِهِ فَلا حُرْمَةَ لَهُ».

Whenever an evil doer debauches openly, is defamed.(8)

Imam Bagher A.S. says:

«ثَلاثَةٌ لَیْسَ لَهُمْ حُرْمَةٌ: صاحِبُ هَوىً مُبْتَدعٌ وَ الاِْمامُ الْجائِرُ و الْفاسِقُ الْمُعْلِنُ بِالْفِسْقِ».

There shall be no respect for three persons: Innovator, unjust leader, and evil doer debauching openly.(9)

Even narrating stories in respect to vice and adultery which taints minds and prepares environment for accepting vice, is forbidden in Islam's view. Prophet S.A. says:

«مَنْ سَمِعَ فاحِشَةً فَاَفْشاها کانَ کَمَنْ اَتاها، وَمَنْ سَمِعَ خَیْراً فَاَفْشاهُ کانَ کَمَنْ عَمِلَهُ».

One, who hears an evil deed and divulges it, is like the one who has performed it, and one, who hears a good deed and divulges it, is like the one who has performed it.(10)

And as for fighting with physical diseases, we shall first destroy centers tainted with microbe and purify life environment and restrain contamination of air, water, food and such like, it is necessary to purify social life environment from morality deviation means.

 

3- Emigration and escaping from tainted environments

We shall do our best for correction of tainted and corrupted environments, but if, for any reason, it is not possible to correct the environment, and there is the possibility of being tainted in case of staying there, and we can emigrate to another healthier place, there is no alternative save emigration.

The same is observed in most of physical diseases, when those interested in their health immediately emigrate from the contaminated environment.

Emigration enjoys a special concern in Islam and it is interesting that it constitutes the foundation of Islamic Epich. Emigration of Islam's Prophet S.A. from Mecca to Medina was nothing else than escaping from a tainted and unfavorable environment to a more favorable one for spreading belief and virtue.

The emigrants at the beginning of Islam enjoy a special privilege and prominence in Islam's history, and several verses are found in Quran concerning them. Several traditions are narrated in respect to emigration from parts tainted to sin and polytheism towards healthy parts indicating importance of the matter.

In Majmaol Bayan interpretation under verse

َ مَنْ یُهاجِرْ فِی سَبِیلِ اللهِ یَجِدْ فِی الاَْرْضِ مُراغَماً کَثِیراً وَسَعَةً).

Whoso emigrates in the way of God will find in the earth many refuges and plenty.(11)

it is narrated from Islam's Prophet S.A.:

«مَنْ فَرَّ بِدِینِهِ مِنْ اَرْض اِلى اَرْض وَ اِنْ کانَ شِبْراً مِنَ الاَْرْضِ اسْتَوْجَبَ الْجَنَّةَ وَ کانَ رَفِیقَ اِبْراهِیمَ وَ مُحَمَّد».

Whoso emigrates for his religion from a territory to another territory, although it may be as much as one palm of land, deserves paradise and will be companion of Abraham and Mohammad (two great emigrant prophets).(12)

Emphasis is indicated by the phrase although it may be as much as one palm of land, and friendship and companionship with these two great prophets is for their emigration. Abraham A.S. departed from Babylon, the center of idolaters and Nimrod, to Syria and Palestine, and Islam's Prophet from Mecca to Medina.

In Ali Ebne Abraham interpretation, under the verse

یا عِبادِیَ الَّذِینَ آمَنُوا اِنَّ اَرْضِی واسِعَةٌ فَاِیّایَ فَاعْبُدُونِ).

O My servants who believe, surely My earth is wide; therefore Me do you serve!(13)

it is narrated from Imam Bagher A.S.:

«لا تُطِیعُوا اَهْلَ الْفِسْقِ مِنَ الْمُلُوکِ فَاِنْ خِفْتُمُوهُمْ اَنْ یَفْتِنُوکُمْ عَنْ دِینِکُمْ فَاِنَّ اَرْضِی واسِعَةٌ».

Do not follow sinful rulers and if you fear of being deviated from your pure religion (do emigrate) because My earth is wide.(14)

Not participating in sin and vice meetings, which is mentioned in Islamic ordinances, and non-privacy with strangers and such like are all considered as a sort of short term emigration from sin and mistake and risk area, and surely it is for preventing transmission of moral vices and not being tainted with sin.


1- Majlessi, Beharol Anvar, 197/74
2- Kolini, Kafi 375/2
3- Majlessi, Beharol Anvar, volume 2, page 128
4- Majlessi, Beharol Anvar, 191/74
5- The Cave sura (18), verse 28
6- Majlessi, Beharol Anvar, 185/75
7- The Lights sura (24), verse 2
8- Horre Ameli, Vassaelo Shiite, 604/8
9- The same book, page 605
10- Horre Ameli, Vassaelo Shiite, 609/8
11- Women sura (4), verse 100
12- Majlessi, Beharol Anvar, 31/19
13- Spire sura (29), verse 56
14- Ali Ebne Ebrahim commentary, vol. 2, page 151

 

 

Way of treatment of moral deviations Quadruple principles of ethics in view of the ancients
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